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The hottest new airline route of 2021 draws a ton of speculation

March 17, 2021
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3 min read
JetBlue Airbus A220-300 Zach Griff - 42
The hottest new airline route of 2021 draws a ton of speculation
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It's no secret that JetBlue plans to hop the pond later this year.

In April 2019, the New York-based carrier announced plans to fly to London in 2021, marking the first-ever transatlantic service for the primarily domestic carrier. Despite the pandemic, JetBlue's pushing forward with its long-haul ambitions, but a big question remains: which London airport will the carrier fly to?

Some eagle-eyed observers think they might've found the answer.

On Tuesday, JetBlue's website began listing London-Heathrow (LHR) under the "best fare finder" search menu, as originally pointed out by DELTA777 on the airliners.net forum.

Aviation enthusiasts on Twitter, including user Ishrion Aviation, found even more clues that an LHR announcement might be imminent. The carrier's mobile app updated LHR to a JetBlue-operated city. The route-map also showed that JetBlue served Heathrow, and a search of LHR schedules even turned up two flights, JetBlue 1407 and JetBlue 1408, a round-trip from JFK to London's busiest airport.

Yet, according to JetBlue, this is just routine IT testing on multiple London-area airports. There's no telling yet which one(s) the carrier might serve.

In a statement, JetBlue offered that,



As part of periodic IT testing it is possible for certain cities or routes to temporarily appear on jetblue.com or on our app. These brief displays – which today included multiple London airports – are not necessarily indicative of planned JetBlue service or forthcoming announcements.
JetBlue has applied for multiple slots at various London airports and remains committed to launching service in 2021. We continue to review opportunities available to us and will share more details as this process advances.

Getting slots at London's most desirable airport has proven challenging for JetBlue. The carrier recently filed a complaint with the Department of Transporation, in which it mentions "slot uncertainty in the U.K." is causing the airline to be "locked out" of London airports.

JetBlue's new Mint biz (Photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy)

Related: Everything you need to know about London's 6 airports

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In November, JetBlue secured 14 of the 28 slots it requested at Gatwick (LGW), which is enough for the airline to fly one daily service between London and one of its East Coast hub cities of New York (JFK) or Boston (BOS).

At London Stansted (STN), meanwhile, the airline secured all of the 28 slots that it requested, which are enough to fly two daily return flights between the airport and one of its East Coast hubs.

JetBlue did not receive any Heathrow slots.

Related: The new gold standard: JetBlue’s spiffy Mint Studio, with the largest bed in biz

Either way, with the second quarter of 2021 just around the corner, JetBlue is likely gearing up to share more details on its upcoming London service.

We already know that the carrier plans to fly from both JFK and BOS, using a new Airbus A321LR. In fact, TPG recently got a first-look tour of the new Mint business-class cabin that'll debut on the carrier's latest jet.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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